Monday Notebook: A recap of what went well in Waco

The Jayhawks won this game by a score of 73-68, but that hardly tells the story. Kansas led and controlled this contest until the last five minutes or so, when Baylor began coming back. The Bears were able to trim the lead down to four before time ran out.

I’d like to focus on the first 35 minutes of this game. Kansas was near dominant for a large majority of this game. That’s not to say the Jayhawks were perfect by any means, but they played very well and led Baylor by 23 at one point. This is what Kansas is capable of. They can beat teams by 20-plus on the road. KU, when at its best, can be one of the top five teams in the country.

That should be the takeaway from this game. Kansas being a dominant force. Sure, they took their foot off the gas a little earlier than they should have, but they led by 23 before they did. KU is a team that may be starting to gel. They’ve put together two solid games in a row now, and more winnable games are on the way.

Lagerald Vick is playing well, Dedric Lawson is an unstoppable scoring machine, and Ochai Agbaji has shown potential to be a legitimately great player. Devon Dotson is one of the best freshmen Bill Self has recruited as well. Quentin Grimes has been frustrating, but even he has flashed the ability to drop 15 to 20 points on occasion.

Tonight, the Jayhawks turn their focus to the Texas Longhorns. Texas has had a mixed bag of a season but will be a tough test nonetheless. Dylan Osetkowski, Kerwin Roach, Jaxson Hayes, and Matt Coleman are the leaders of this Texas team. The Longhorns feel like a bubble team for the NCAA tournament. I think they’ll get eight or nine conference wins and just miss the big dance. They don’t shoot three-pointers very well, and they only average 71 points a game.

I’ll take Kansas to win, 74-59. Vick and Dotson will have good games, while Dedric Lawson records another double-double. Be confident, Jayhawk fans. This is only the beginning.

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Landen Fields

I’m a junior in high school. I’m also homeschooled, which gives me the ability to watch ESPN all day. I love the Jayhawks, and I love to write about them. I’m also a huge fan of Star Wars, Marvel, and action/sci-fi movies. I hope to have a career in sports media one day, and I am grateful for this first step into a larger world.